1000 KM Goal for August Reached

Just before leaving on 26th for a family visit, where I won’t be able to take my bike with us, I got over my riding 🚲 target 🎯 for the month. Will be back home on Sept 2nd and back on the bike again to continue towards my cross Canada 🇨🇦 riding goal. GCC will be keeping our pages active through September ( Childhood Cancer Awareness Month ) so that further donations can be accepted online. #griffinmyheartforever #childhoodcancerawarenessmonth #thegldnsociety #fightlikeakid

Meet Dominique

Hi Don,

As you take on your third week of the 2025 Great Cycle Challenge, we wanted to share Dominique's incredible story...

10-year-old Dominique is currently fighting leukemia. 💔

In the spring of 2024, Dominique started experiencing alarming symptoms like daily intermittent, unexplained pain. Then she began limping, developed swollen lymph nodes and started to experience persistent fevers.

It took repeated visits to emergency rooms and clinics before Dominique and her family finally received an answer...

In the week after Thanksgiving, her parents rushed her to the emergency room at SickKids where she was finally admitted.

Dominique was diagnosed with precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia on the 21st of October 2024.

Her treatment plan is intensive and complex, shaped by a genetic profile that requires aggressive chemotherapy.

Her body has also proven to be highly sensitive to treatment which has led to complications like allergic reactions and long periods of low blood counts.

But Dominique has proven time and time again that she can overcome any challenge that she comes up against.

She has beat her phobia of needles, overcome difficulty swallowing pills, and learned to calm herself down during regular port accesses.

This girl is unbeatable, and she's kicking cancer's butt. ✊

Dominique continues to receive chemotherapy to help her defeat this disease for good, with her treatment plan expected to last for 3 years.

Her care team are always monitoring her response to treatment and tailoring it to her specific needs at all times.

Dominique loves academics, as well as musical theatre, piano, singing, gymnastics, and circus arts. She has a true gift when it comes to talking, sharing, explaining, and connecting with others.

Dominique should be living life, not fighting for it.

Don, your fundraising efforts will support cancer research to develop treatments and find a cure for childhood cancer to help kids like Dominique and save little lives.

And for Dominique and her family...

Your support means the world. ❤️

We're so grateful that you're riding this month to give kids with cancer the brighter futures they deserve.

Thank you, a million times over! ✊

Ashley (Great Cycle Challenge Team) #griffinmyheartforever #thegldnsociety #fightlikeakid

We're past the halfway mark!

There are just 14 days left to go of the official challenge.

Together, we've pedaled 1,128,164km and raised $5,902,338 (so far) to fight kids' cancer...

And we're not done yet.

Keep riding and raising and let's BRING IT HOME STRONG for these brave kids and their families. ❤️

Come on Canada, we got this! #griffinmyheartforever

Record Breaking Matching Offer Day….Thank You!

Kick Cancer's Butt Day raised a record-breaking $1,890,417 to fight kids' cancer... INCREDIBLE!

It's amazing. THANK YOU so much for your butt-kicking efforts to give kids like Sam, Hendrix, Nori, Dominique, Wynn and Liam and the brighter futures they deserve.

It was a MASSIVE day. We asked YOU to take action, and you KICKED CANCER'S BUTT! 💪

You've given these families a reason to smile, and more importantly, you've given them hope for a cancer-free future and the support they need to continue their fight to beat this awful disease.

For that Don, I cannot thank you enough.

As you know, our wonderful supporters, the Garron Family were personally matching donations up to $1,300,000...

And as outlined when we announced this amazing pledge, if we were to reach the $1,300,000 limit we'd distribute the matched donations across all your pages, based on a percentage of what you raised over the one day of Kick Cancer's Butt Day. This is the fairest way to ensure that everyone who made the effort, gets the reward. 😊

But unfortunately, this does mean that we can't match all donations completely, so you'll receive a portion of the $1,300,000 based on the total you raised. I'll explain the calculation...

$1,300,000 / $1,890,417 = 68.77% - so we've matched 68.77% of the total you raised on Kick Cancer's Butt Day and added this to your fundraising page.

This is the fairest way to ensure EVERYONE is rewarded for their efforts to kick cancer's butt. I wish we could match every single donation but the response was just so incredible.

Kick Cancer’s Butt Day ….Thanks Garron Family!

This Wednesday is Kick Cancer's Butt Day! 💪.On Kick Cancer's Butt Day, the Garron Family has generously pledged to MATCH ALL DONATIONS received this Wednesday, up to $1,300,000! So that means ANY online donation received on Wednesday the 13th will be matched . #griffinmyheartforever #thegldnsociety #fightlikeakid

Ready to Rock n Roll!

Well, tomorrow…August 1st….all our training rides get bumped off the site and we all start at 0 km towards our month long goals. I’m ready to jump on my Time Machine 🚲 ( get on it at 70 and get off feeling like I’m 35 ) and put in my 1000 km and raise at least $5000. I had a good June 816 km and July 916km in afternoon heat so August won’t seem so rough. I’ve banked 4272 km towards my virtual cross Canada ride goal too so feeling confident I’ll make the 7821 km by end of year. #griffinmyheartforever #fightlikeakid

Sam Says Thanks For Your Donations

Meet Sam

3-year-old Sam is our official GUARDIAN level ambassador. 🧡

In May 2024, Sam was diagnosed with high-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

As he was classified "high-risk", Sam required more intensive treatment.

The first month of chemotherapy, known as the induction phase, was really tough. Sam endured intensive chemo and fought a serious bacterial infection following port-insertion surgery.

His treatment journey since then has had its ups and downs, but the constant support of his care team has been a source of great comfort.

This March, Sam was given a second diagnosis of Noonan syndrome, which is a genetic disorder that can affect growth, facial features, heart function, and development.

This diagnosis is helping his team better monitor his treatment, and the way his body responds.

Sam's bright and goofy personality continues to shine as he bravely fights this disease. He's made so many friends in the oncology ward. 😊

This is one amazing little man.

Today, Sam has a message for you: THANK YOU !

Today is Tribute Day

Remembering all those special children who sadly have succumbed to cancer and all those still struggling to cope with this dreadful disease. We will never give up trying to help nor will we forget those who have left this Earth. #GriffinMyHeartForever #fightlikeakid

$ 1 Million Mark Reached

We've now raised $1,000,000 to fight kids' cancer! 🥳🙌✨

Our buddy Liam the Legend made this spectacular multicolored sign to help celebrate this 'AMAZING' and 'FANTASTIC' milestone. 💪

9-year-old Liam is bravely fighting leukemia for the 3rd time in his young life.

His cancer journey has been a rollercoaster, and he continues to face the highs and lows with incredible maturity and positivity. ✊

Your AMAZING fundraising efforts are giving hope to Liam and his family that we can live in a world free from childhood cancer. 🧡

So, let's celebrate this achievement and continue to smash these AMAZING MILESTONES…

Because kids like Liam should be living life, not fighting for it. #GriffinMyHeartForever

Sam Thanks Everyone!

MEET SAM

3-year-old Sam is a caring, goofy and mischievous boy who is currently in maintenance treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Last year, on May 26, Sam was rushed to his local hospital and then urgently transferred to SickKids in Toronto.

At the time, his platelet count was dangerously low (at just 5), which meant his blood couldn’t clot properly – putting him at serious risk of internal bleeding.

He was admitted for immediate treatment, and further testing confirmed the devastating news…

Sam was diagnosed with high-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The “high-risk” classification meant that Sam’s case required more intensive treatment. His family’s world was turned upside down, and those early days were overwhelming. It was hard to process what was happening, and what was still to come.

Sam’s first month of treatment, known as the induction phase, was tough. He endured multiple rounds of intensive chemotherapy and developed a serious bacterial infection following port insertion surgery. Further surgery was required to remove the initial port and insert a PICC line to deliver treatments.

Thankfully, the next stretch of treatment went more smoothly. He completed the consolidation phase of chemotherapy and his first round of specialized immunotherapy drug Blina without any major setbacks.

The first interim maintenance phase of treatment then brought new challenges. It was especially hard on his little body, but the constant support of his SickKids team brought his family a lot of comfort. His mom, Tiffany, told us, “They were always there when we needed them… we always felt heard.”

In January 2025, after a much-needed break between treatments, Sam’s family returned to Toronto for his second round of immunotherapy.

He is currently undergoing the second interim maintenance phase, the next step in his long treatment plan.

Thanks to advanced genetic testing, Sam has recently been given another diagnosis that allowed his care team to better monitor his treatment and understand why all this may have happened.

Sam’s original leukemia tests flagged markers that pointed to another condition, and in March, Sam was officially diagnosed with Noonan syndrome. It is a genetic disorder that can affect growth, facial features, heart function, and development. So far, Sam’s case appears mild. His parents have also undergone genetic testing to understand whether the condition was inherited, and they are waiting on results.

They told us, “SickKids is crucial to our family. It’s healing, Sam, and it’s healing us. Without their genetic testing and research, we never would have discovered his second diagnosis.”

By now, Sam is a familiar face in the oncology ward at SickKids. Whenever he visits, he announces himself with a cheerful, “I’m baaack!!”

He may be a little guy, but he has a big, bright personality! He loves dressing up as a ninja or Darth Vader, insists on wearing his signature yellow rain boots in all weather, and goes through hilarious food phases… sautéed mushrooms are his current obsession.

Sam’s cancer journey isn’t over yet, he continues to bravely fight this disease with his family by his side.

GCC’ers, let’s pedal as hard as we can for Super Sam this August!

A Ride for the Brave

Lovely poem from one of our GCC riders Lily Sotomayor that says a lot about what motivates us to keep pedalling for kids with cancer. #griffinmyheartforever # fightlikeakid

Instagram Rider Profile from GCCCanada today

Legacy rider Don has ridden 14,283km and raised $28,309 over the last 7 years… and he’s gearing up for another big year of riding to save little lives! 🚴‍♂️

This dedicated GCC’er rides in memory of Griffin “Griff” Bell, and to honour his wife of 46 years, Heather (pictured). 🧡

Don learned of Griff’s story through his son who knows the Bell family well. Griff passed away in March 2024 at just 6 years old, after a hard-fought battle with cancer. The 26th of June would have been Griff’s 8th birthday. 💔

While Don and Griff never had the chance to meet in person, Don can feel Griff’s presence with him when he rides. Having supported his wife through her own long battle with cancer, Griff’s story touched him deeply.

His inspiring wife, Heather, has been managing the challenges of breast cancer since her initial diagnosis in 1999, and a later aggressive recurrence in 2011. In Don’s words, “her toughness is beyond measure, and there is no quit in her character.” 💪

Thankfully, Heather is now in remission and cherishing every precious moment and milestone with her family.

Inspired by Griff and Heather, Don has set himself a GCC ride goal of 1,000km AND an annual cycling goal of riding the equivalent of the distance across Canada (a casual 7,821km).

GCC’ers, let’s hear it for the incredible Don! 🙌

https://www.instagram.com/p/DL9w7Mtp6wN/?igsh=MThpMjR1YTJrcmEwNw==

#griffinmyheartforever #fightlikeakid

1/2 way across 🇨🇦 Canada 🇨🇦

6 months in and 3356 km completed so well on track for my cross country goal by end of the year. Happy Canada Day weekend. #griffinmyheartforever

Thinking even more about Griff and the Bell family today

Today Griff Bell would have turned 8 years of age. We all ride each year so other children with cancer can live to celebrate many more birthdays with their loved ones. #griffinmyheartforever

Year 8 Rides Well Underway

Happy to say that in the past 7 years of the GCC during the month each year of recorded rides and fundraising , I’ve been able to log 14,283 km and raise $28,257.08. Looking forward to doing this event again this year and achieving/ exceeding my goal of 1000 km and $5000. My other annual goal that I aim for is riding the equivalent of across Canada ( 7821 km ) from Jan to Dec and so far I’m on track with 2932 km completed. All for a great cause for some amazing children and their families. #GriffinMyHeartForever

Remembering Griffin Bell

This is why we ride, for children like Griff and families like the Bells. #GriffinMyHeartForever #golden #fightlikeakid